The Plant Allies of Summer: How to Create a Summer Wellness Apothecary

Continuing my series of creating your own seasonal wellness apothecaries, we've arrived at the height of heat and light - summer. During summer it's a time of being excited (to varying degrees for varying folks) about the increase of the aforementioned light and heat as well as more time spent outdoors (sometimes alongside creatures that bite and sting). Just as with any other seasonal wellness apothecary, a little bit of planning ahead means that more time can be spent enjoying the weather with easy remedies close at hand should the need for herbal care arise.

As with my winter and spring apothecary posts, I've organized my recommendation by herbal actions such as cooling herbs for post-sun recovery. As always, I've tried to highlight herbs that are easy to access (especially in North America, where I am writing this from) and/or inexpensive to grow yourself, but hopefully you'll feel inspired and able to work with herbs local to your area. I also think it's a good idea for all herb folk (whether professionals or home herbalists) to get first aid training including wilderness first aid if you like being out and about beyond city limits.  

Ready for some summertime healing? Let's explore some of the common ailments and the plant allies we can connect to during the season of summer. 

image via @baraajalahej

Cooling Off: Supporting the body post-sun exposure 

Herbal Actions: Cooling, anti-inflammatory, alterative, emollient, and demulcent

With the risk of sounding like an afterschool commercial, the best way to stay sun safe is to stay sun smart. Stick to the shade, keep hydrated, wear sunscreen and/or cool protective layers, and respect the power of the Sun. The following plants are great friends for cooling off (and not burning out) after long summer days. 

Aloe Vera (Aloe barbadensis) : My favorite herb to use topically after a day spent in the sun. The inner gel of the plant is cooling and moist, alleviating inflammation in the body both internally and externally. While I have become wiser in my sunways as I get older, when I was younger Aloe Vera saved me from many a sunburn. I also find that in addition to alleviating the physical discomfort of sunburn Aloe Vera can also be a useful ally when dealing with the emotional stress of burnout.

Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis): I turn to Lemon Balm again and again throughout the warmer months of the year. It is gently cooling and tastes like summer to me. I like using it in my daily teas, but also as a skin wash or addition to an herbal bath after a long day in the heat. Lemon Balm also helps us deal with the stress that summer can bring, especially around expectations of being social. If you've overdone it in the heat and find yourself dealing with heat exhaustion, Lemon Balm can be a great ally to have at hand. In addition to drinking the tea (best to let it cool to room temperature if you're recovering from heat exhaustion), I like to use it as part of a cool compress at the wrists and back of the neck. If I know I'll be out in the heat, I make a jar of Lemon Balm tea at the beginning of the day so that when I get back it'll be ready for me to drink and use in compresses if need be.

Borage (Borago officinalis): In my training as an herbalist I was taught to make Borage ice cubes for the summer where you freeze Borage flowers in ice cube molds and then add them to your water throughout the day. Whether or not this is the secret to staying cool (honestly, room temperature water is more helpful than iced when it comes to regulating body temperature, generally speaking), it sure looks pretty in a glass jar. Borage is a wonderfully cooling plant ally and can be a delicious treat when you're cooling off in the shade.

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium): Yarrow is a classic fever reducer in traditional western herbalism and can be equally useful in cases of heat exhaustion when lowering the body's temperature is needed. Use as a tea, in a cool compress, or in a cool foot bath.

Other cooling herbs to keep close by are Lavender (Lavandula spp.), Rose (Rosa spp.), Peppermint (Mentha piperita), and Milky Oat (Avena sativa).

Unbothered: Caring for the skin during the summer months against bugs, bumps, and more

Herbal Actions: Anti-inflammatory, alterative, and nervine tonics

Some of the first herbal remedies I made were topical herbal oils for uses on my bruises and sore muscles that I got as an athlete. While I was impressed by the results, I loved the process of creating these special blends, applying them, and taking care of myself in ways that I didn't always feel looked out for as an athlete. For me, working with plant allies to care for our body's largest organ, the skin, is an act of love.

Lavender (Lavandula spp.): Lavender is one of the few essential oils that I use on a regular basis because it is so helpful for reducing the itch and discomfort of bug bites. The essential oil can be applied in small amounts directly to the skin (for most essential oils this is not safe and not recommended). I also use compresses of the flowers for skin health and recovering from bumps, bruises, bites, and rashes. It makes a wonderful addition to herbal baths as well as a great summer hydrosol to keep in the fridge and use as needed throughout the day.

Plantain (Plantago spp.): If a bump has occurred some variety of Plantain salve is pulled out and applied. Plantain is an easy and inexpensive herbal remedy to use for bumps, bruises, sprains, and strains. Topically, Plantain is a powerful remedy, helping to draw out toxins from the body, heal damaged tissue, alleviate pain, and generally serve folks well when it comes to wound care. If Plantain is growing nearby when you or someone is bit by a bee or other insect, crush up a Plantain leaf (I was taught to chew it) and apply it to the bite for pain relief and reduction of swelling. I can personally attest to the effectiveness of Plantain on bee stings having to use it myself when I was stung by a bee between my toes. Using Plantain I was able to make the walk back home. Want to learn more about beautiful Plantain? A complete profile is available in The Plant Ally Library.

St. Joan's Wort (Hypericum perforatum): I like using a combination of St. Joan's Wort and Rose (Rosa spp.) herbal oil as a post sun skin treatment. I like to apply the herbal oil after a shower (so that the oil helps to contain the oil and keep the skin hydrated) or after spraying the skin with a hydrosol like Rose. St. Joan's Wort is wonderfully soothing to sunburns, reparative to the skin in general, and also helps to nourish the nervous system. It's great for bumps and bruises, too.

Other herbs to keep handy are Mullein (Verbascum thapsus), Calendula (Calendula officinalis), Sage (Salvia officinalis), Catnip (Nepeta cataria) as a natural mosquito repellant, and Milky Oat (Avena sativa). The latter is especially useful for calming an overstimulated nervous and sensory system due to the irritation and increased sensation of bug bites and/or injury.

Opening Up: Nourishing the heart

Herbal Actions: Cardiotonics, circulatory tonics, and nervines

Any season can be a season of opening up the heart, but there is something about the expectation of adventuring, dreaming, and socializing in the summer that can call to some extra herbal support when it comes to issues of the heart.

Rose (Rosa spp): Any season can be a season of opening up the heart, but there is something about the expectation of adventuring, dreaming, and socializing in the summer that can call to some extra herbal support when it comes to issues of the heart. Rose is my favorite heart-opening, love-supporting herb not only for its thorn magick, but for the ways it helps to soften the hard edges of our emotional experiences in all the right ways. Rose has the added benefit of being a cooling herb and I add it to my morning tea during the hot summer months. A Rose hydrosol is especially pleasing sprayed on the skin throughout the day during the summer months.

Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna): The magick of Hawthorn is something that is hard to describe. It is a wonderful cardiotonic and I've used it in a wide range of heart health needs including helping to reduce stress that cause some heart issues in the first place. Hawthorn is an herb which helps us to love again after a period of heartbreak. We learn to live heart first with Hawthorn as an ally and to meet the uncertainty of what comes next with the steadfastness of trusting our own heart's trusty rhythm.

Other heart herbs to consider working with are Motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca), Cacao (Theobroma cacao), and Hibiscus (Hibiscus sabdariffa).

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Friends, I hope you enjoyed reading about some of my favorite plant allies of for the summer months. Be sure to check out the rest of the series on creating seasonal wellness apothecaries. Next in the series I’ll be looking at some of my most beloved plant allies for the autumn months.

If you’re looking for some more summertime inspiration, I write more about summer wellness over here. What’s my favorite summertime drink, you might be wondering? Swamp tea, of course! Or is it rainbow lattes? And, as always, there are summertime tarot spreads for Midsummer and Lughnasadh for all your divinatory needs.

May your summer be sweet and full of all the right sorts of adventures!

This post was made possible through patron support.
❤︎ Thanks, friends. ❤︎

Budding: New Moon Ritual & Healing Practices

The heat has arrived and I am seeking shade and water like many of the creatures and plants I share this garden with. With the variation of sun and shade, different plants come to bloom in the yard throughout the spring and early summer. Right now I'm watching birds and squirrels nibble on the flowering fruits of the Pineapple Guava Tree (Acca sellowiana or Feijoa sellowiana) that sits outside my office window. This tree is an energetic spot throughout the year whether as a resting point for multiple varieties of birds as they fly past our house or host to the amusing antics of squirrels who mostly keep their balance while traversing the branches.

Since it sits outside the window where I often write, it's budding, flowering, fruiting, and the different animals that come to visit it have come to mark energetic starting points throughout the year for me. And so it feels appropriate to be writing about the New Moon during this time of heat and energy as it represents the point of new beginnings and often sharp and swift energetic shifts in the lunar calendar.

After a long period of waning and eventual darkness, the Moon reappears in the sky as a silver crescent, marking the beginning of the next lunar cycle. It is a time of newness and possibility, of budding hope, and the result of the hard work of setting boundaries and cutting away the unnecessary in our lives. Energy, possibility, hope, transformation, new beginnings, and swiftness are all key energies of the New Moon.

image via @tonelisa

Herbal Traditions

In Traditional Western Herbalism the New Moon is considered a time of hot and moist herbs. Continuing on the sacred structure metaphor started in the last post in our Moon healing and ritual series, the New Moon creates the heat and damp necessary to create the material needed to build the walls of the temple. The heat begins to "cook" the clay that will eventually harden, but it is still early in the process where moisture is present, allowing for the malleability needed to form foundations and walls. In the garden, the right balance of heat and moisture are essential to beginning the process of breaking down plant and food material into rich and nutritive soil.

This is just one approach to imagining the energies of the New Moon, inspired by Traditional Western Herbalism, and you're encouraged to create and seek out stories of the New Moon that work for you. The energies of the New Moon are often exciting and can feel like the first step across the precipice of something new. When I think about herbs of the New Moon I'm drawn to more stimulating remedies, ones that nourish the internal fires of life and digestion (like warming bitters), and those remedies that might have a bit of sharpness to them (whether in the form of heat, bitterness or energetically such as thorn medicine). Remedies that call to me at this time are ones that help me to wake up to my dreams or new possibilities, that help to start a new project or release an old habit or way of thinking that no longer serves me, and almost all of them help me to shift my perspective. But this is from my personal experience and I encourage you to trust your intuition when seeking out plant allies for different phases of the Moon.

Examples of New Moon Herbs: Peppermint (Mentha piperita), Coffee (Coffee arabica), Tea (Camellia sinensis), Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), Ginger (Zingiber officinalis), Licorice (Glycyrrhiza spp), Ginseng (Panax ginseng), Lavender (Lavandula officinalis), Milky Oats (Avena sativa), Yarrow (Achillea millefolium). 

Basil (Ocimum spp.)

Basil embodies the heat and energy-moving signature of the New Moon. Unlike other hot herbs, the heat of Basil is often more accessible and easily tolerated by a wide variety of folks. While it can be more drying, it's ability to move energy and accompanying fluid (for fluid is the primary mover of energy in our water-filled bodies) brings in the moist aspect of New Moon herbs. As a nervine and adaptogen, Basil adapts to the body’s needs, relaxing us when we need to rest and invigorating us when it is time to rise. The herb supports both the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system helping guide us through the cycle of fight or flight back to rest and digest.

The variety of Basil I use most often in my practice is Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum, tenuiflorum) also known as Sacred or Holy Basil. Sacred Basil is well studied as an adaptogenic herb and is a highly regarded herb within Ayurvedic tradition - it is a holy panacea. The plant itself is an embodiment of the Goddess Lakshmi and growing one in the home is considered a sacred act. I find the living herb to bring on a reverential meditative state in many who spend any amount of time with them. I have personally found the plant to be a generous teacher, pouring out an abundance of wisdom to those who would take the time to sit and be with them. There is a popular quote by herbalist David Hoffman that goes, "When in doubt, choose nettles" and while I definitely choose Nettles (Urtica dioica) often, my personal "in doubt" herb is Tulsi, with her broad and expansive healing gifts. 

Within Traditional Western Herbalism, Sweet Basil (Ocimum basilicum) is named for the dragons or mighty basilisks that haunt mountains and caves. The herb not only moves heat through our body, but Basil also stokes our inner fires, helping us to digest our food and move waste from our bodies. Connecting with plants associated with dragons is to connect with the energy moving and coursing through the land we live on as well as the landscape of our bodies. It is to connect with very old energies in order to bring about very new change. Basil helps us, in a New Moon fashion, direct our will, manifest our dreams with life-giving heat, and protect the fire of our hearts.

Basil features in one of my favorite teas, I love it for breathwork, and it is an herb I use often for empaths and highly sensitive folks.

Altars + Rituals

Decorate your altar with shiny and reflective items and items and images that bring a sense of energy and emerging brightness to your life. Symbols of scythes and swords, or your athames herb cutting blade or kitchen knives carry New Moon energy and fit well on the altar. Add bells and other musical instruments to stir up energy with sound. Before you begin any ritual, clap your hands, move your body, and participate in energy raising practices. Spells of fire and water, wax divination, herbal oils and hydrosols to anoint the body and scent the air. As an offering consider the habits that you can nudge towards a more value-aligned way of living such as choosing more zero waste options in your personal life while agitating for more corporate responsibility for the climate crisis (living more zero waste is great and the worst polluters are not individuals but massive, unresponsive corporations and capitalist greed - let us hold them responsible and dismantle them as necessary with the double-blade of justice-oriented legislation and reform). Learn about the sign that the Moon is in for more specific ideas and recommendations.

image via @mohamadaz

A Simple New Moon Ritual

To clear out old energy and make way for the new

Using pins and needles in spellcraft is an old form of witchery found in multiple cultures around the world. Within western esotericism and traditional witchcraft, pins and needles can act like little swords or daggers to direct energy. I recommend using quilting pins with glass heads, but sewing needles or thorns can be used, too. We'll be using a candle to represent you and your energy and the needles will work as both energetic massage and scythe, helping to work out knotted energy and release it.

Begin by creating sacred space in whatever way is meaningful to you.

Place two candles and the pins before you on your altar. Wake up the energy in your body, whether this is through clapping, dancing, swaying, breathwork - do whatever works for you. When you feel like you've raised enough energy, hold one of the candles between your hands and leave the other candle on the altar. Connect your energy to the candle in your hands by saying:

Candle body
My body bright
Holy body
Candle alight

Speak the charm repeatedly, a speedy murmuration, as you visualize it glowing bright with your energy. Place it back on your altar. Take a moment to scan your body, seeking out where energy may be stuck and holding you back from moving on into the next cycle of the Moon. When you find a stuck spot, pick up a needle and hold it over the area, pulling the knotted energy into the needle while saying:

Knot and needle
Needle and knot
In the needle
The knot I've caught

Then poke the needle into the side of the candle, near the top, so that it stays there on its own. Repeat this process until all knotted energy has been caught up in the needles. 

All is whole, the way made clear -
What is stuck, disappears,
What is knotted, comes undone, 
As needles fall one by one.

Now it is time to light your candle. Let it burn so that one by one the needles fall and the knotted energy is undone, clearing the path for you. During the candles' burning you can sing and move and dance or meditate quietly - whatever you are feeling called to. 

Just before that candle completely burns down, light the other candle on your altar. Here is the light of your energy burning bright and unhindered. You can let this burn out completely or light it periodically throughout the lunar cycle to help energize your ritual work.

Once the candle with needles has completely burned, you might choose to read the patterns of the needles and the shape of any residual wax as a form of divination (sort of like tasseomancy) as some Witchfolk do. Once the spell is done, you can cleanse the needles in salt water to use them again in future spells. For particularly tough and tangled energy, take the needles to the crossroads and bury them deep in the earth, walking away from them without looking back.

A Simple New Moon Tarot Spread

To understand what needs releasing and what needs nurturing

Card 1 · Fire

What needs to be offered to the fire so that you can burn bright unhindered? This card highlights the energy in your life that needs clearing out and releasing as you begin the next lunar cycle. 

Card 2 · Blade

How can I offer up what is no longer needed in my life? Calling on the scythe-like energy of the New Moon, this card gives suggestions on how to release stagnant, unneeded or hindering energy in your life.

Card 3 · Water

What needs to be nurtured so that I can flow unhindered? This card highlights the energy in your life that needs a bit more tenderness and care as you begin the next lunar cycle.

Card 4 · Cauldron

How can I nurture what needs extra care in my life? Calling on the hope-expanding energy of the New Moon, this card gives suggestions on how to nurture the part of your life that needs comfort, strength or extra love so that you can move forward with greater ease.

Card 5 · Story

The overall message of the New Moon in your life. If you are familiar with your birth chart and how to find the transiting Moon in your chart this card can help you to understand the message of the Waxing Quarter Moon in the context of where it lands in your chart.

These posts are part of a series on the lunar cycle that was inspired by my patrons who help me keep the majority of my work free to access. You can find the posts for the other phases here:

• Waxing Quarter Moon

• Full Moon

• Waning Quarter Moon

• Dark Moon

A few years back I did a year long dive into the energy of the New Moon for healers through each of the twelve signs of the zodiac. If that sounds like your cup of, come this way. For a deeper dive into the intersections of lunar herbalism and sacred self inquiry, I have a course for you.

If you’ve been feeling a lot of tenderness lately and are looking for a bit more care after the work of releasing unwanted energy at the New Moon, you might like this.

This post was made possible through patron support.
❤︎ Thanks, friends. ❤︎

Mercurial Wisdom: Peppermint Plant Profile

It’s been a minute since I shared a plant profile with all of you. I found I needed a bit of a break from writing plant profiles and just some more time out in the garden and making a mess in my kitchen trying out new recipes. However, I woke up this morning with an itch to talk plant nerd with you before I head off on my winter break (which is all very impulsively mercurial and therefore the herb I’ve chosen to talk about is quite appropriate).

I wanted to share with you more stories about one of my favorite herbs that I reach for in the depth of winter and the height of summer almost equally. Peppermint is just magickal like that when it comes to working its way into both my warming and cooling recipes. But we’ll get to that in a minute…

I’ve written about Peppermint a number of times already, but always in the context of a larger post, and it felt like the write time to get deep about our green companion. The following profile is from my course exploring the intersections of herbal wisdom and the tarot - The Tarot Apothecary. So you’ll see my correspondences for individual tarot cards listed below - why different cards are allied with different plants is something that I explore more in the course (as well as helping you find your own personal correspondences).

Do you use Peppermint (or any of the myriad varieties of Mint) in your practice? What’s you favorite way to work with the plant? Let me know in the comments.

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Peppermint
(Mentha piperita)

Common + Folk Names : Brandy mint, lament
Tarot Cards : The Fool, the Hermit, Justice, the Star, the World, the Messenger (Knight) of Swords, Four of Cups, Six of Wands.
Element : Fire + Water
Zodiac Signs : Gemini, Virgo, Libra
Planets : Mercury, Venus, Jupiter
Moon Phase : Full Moon
Parts used : Ariel parts
Habitat : Naturalized throughout the world
Growing conditions : Full to partial sun with moderate to high amounts of water. 
Collection : Collect in the spring before flowering, but it can be gathered throughout the summer.
Flavor : Pungent + sweet
Temperature : Cool + warm
Moisture : Dry
Tissue State : Heat/Excitation, Cold/Depression
Constituents : Beta-carotene, B-complex vitamins, vitamin C, potassium, flavonoids, essential oils, ketone, tannins, resin, rosmarinic acid, menthol.

Actions : Analgesic, anesthetic, anodyne, antibacterial, antiemetic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-parasitic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, antiviral, aromatic, carminative, cholagogue, choleretic, diaphoretic, digestive, diuretic, emmenagogue, expectorant, immunomodulating, nervine, stimulant, stomachic, tonic, vasodilator.

Main Uses : Peppermint is a useful herb embodying the mercurial qualities of its Guardian Planet. It is able to relax when needed one day and to awaken and stimulate the next. To understand how a plant can be both relaxing and stimulating, try the following. Rub the top of your head with your fingers for a quick moment. Feel how that is both relaxing and stimulating? Such is the powers of Peppermint. So, it is a popular herb in the summer for its cooling qualities and it is found again during the winter as part of warming teas and cold-care remedies. 

Peppermint is a tasty and popular digestive remedy. It relaxes cramping of the intestinal muscles and alleviates a number of digestive complaints including gas, indigestion, colic, IBS, hiccups, and heartburn. Peppermint also has tannins which help repair leaky guts by strengthening the lining of the intestines, promoting better digestion and proper assimilation of nutrients. The herb is used for a number of intestinal diseases including Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis. Peppermint is especially effective for digestive issues arising from stress and nervous conditions that lead to cramping. Look for signs of poor digestion, headaches from digestive tension, lack of appetite, and distention. Peppermint is excellent for when there is lack of pleasure around the process of eating food. Enjoy the tea a half hour before meals, but be mindful of over-relaxing the intestines with long term use (so no more than a few weeks daily and then take a break from use before restarting again). Peppermint is useful for car sickness and nausea as well as in pregnancy for morning sickness after the first trimester.

image source

As a circulatory tonic, Peppermint regulates energy throughout our bodies. The herb relaxes peripheral blood vessels helping to release excess heat and damp due in part to its menthol content. It helps blood move effectively through the body which is one reason that it helps to relieve brain fog and clear the head. Peppermint also has an effect on the lymph system helping to stimulate lymphatic action and therefore improve circulation. 

The herb dries excess damp as well as expels mucus in cases of colds, ‘flu, and sinus congestion. In general, Peppermint is good for heart palpitations (especially when associated with indigestion), inflammation and infection of the lungs, sinusitis and sinus headaches, asthma, bronchitis, laryngitis, and general sinus congestion. The herb is clearing and helps us to take a deep breath. For bronchitis and asthma is it especially effective as a steam, but can also be used as a hot tea to reduce spasms of the airways and clear excess mucus. Coughs and sore throats are also aided by Peppermint. 

As a nervine, Peppermint is refreshing. It awakens the senses while reducing excess. If there is too much heat, Peppermint cools. If stagnation is a problem, Peppermint tones and stimulates. If overstimulation is present, Peppermint calms. I find the herb to be useful when mental dullness is present as Peppermint entices and excites the senses to movement. Along with drinking the tea, the essential oil burned or sprayed in a room can help shift the energy from dullness to inspired. Peppermint also assists with relieving anxiousness, nervous tension, and general anxiety. Again, Peppermint can help to stimulate where there is stagnation (which can lead to anxiety and depression because of lack of movement and tone) as well as help to relax tension (which can lead to a different sort of anxiousness and restless energy).

Peppermint is a classic cold care herb along with other herbs such as Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) and Elder (Sambucus nigra). Since it is a warming and cooling herb, it is effective for colds and ‘flu with symptoms of fevers and chills. In addition to  strengthening the lymphatic system in regards to circulation, Peppermint also strengthens the lymphatic cleansing process, clearing the blood of old cells and promoting the production of white blood cells, thereby enhancing immunity. Peppermint has been shown to be effective against streptococcus, staphylococcus, e. coli, helicobacter pylori, candida, and other pathogens. Since Peppermint is moistening to connective tissues, look for signs of skin atrophy, aching and dried joints, and general dryness, when choosing it for compromised immunity.

image via @jonathanpielmayer

Peppermint’s immunomodulating qualities are also tied to its improvement of the body’s ability to digest and absorb nutrients. A robust digestive system leads to a healthy immune system since the body is properly receiving all the building-blocks it needs from the food it is consuming. Additionally, early studies have shown that Peppermint may have chemoprotective qualities.

The herb assists with menstrual cramps and complaints due to uterine congestion. Look for signs of feeling heavy and bloated just before and during menstruation, along with mental fatigue and fog. The herb’s stimulating qualities are noted by Culpeper as he described the herb as stirring “up bodily lust.”

Historically, Peppermint has also been used for kidney and gallstones as well as clearing out a stagnant liver. There are warnings against using Peppermint too often for too long (as in daily for a few months) as it will become overly clearing and lead to weakening the blood, even stopping menstruation. 

Use a poultice on the stomach for pains and on the chest for respiratory colds. A topical poultice is useful for muscle pain, including back pain, and spasm as well as arthritis and sore joints since Peppermint is anesthetic. Cold compresses can be applied to the forehead during fever and headache as well as rashes, bug bites, measles, and chicken box. Also, a topical herbal oil mixed with the essential oil can be used to alleviate headaches when massaged into the brow.

Internally, Peppermint will help to bring measles boils to the surface. Culpeper recommended washing the heads of young children with a Peppermint tea for the treatment of scabs and rashes. Use the tea as a gargle or spray for good breath and to clean the mouth. Chewing the mint will give the same effect.

As an antiseptic, antiviral, and anti-fungal herb, Peppermint is useful for such conditions as the herpes simplex virus, athlete’s foot, and other uncomfortable and infectious conditions. 

Magickal Uses : Peppermint is an herb that can be used in magickal works of prosperity, abundance, and good fortune. Use in rituals of cleansing and consecration as well as in incense blends to clear a space of harmful energy. The sharp scent also ignites the senses, as discussed earlier, but also attributes itself to awakening the psychic senses. Use the herb in spells and charms of clear communication, negotiation, and business deals while invoking the powers of Mercury (invoke Jupiter, too, if business and the need for good fortune is involved). It was said that Peppermint would reduce dreams of a sexual nature by 17th century herbalist John Parkinson, so be mindful if you would rather keep those dreams as part of your nighttime experience and avoid taking the herb at night. The herb is excellent for wind magick as well as matters of justice and judicial process as it has some guardianship by Jupiter. 

image via @sugarcoatit

The Peppermint Personality : There are two types of Peppermint personalities. The first tends towards a restless and nervous energy. Their thoughts spin and sometimes they struggle with silence. They possess the gift of gab, are prone to be on social media for one too many hours, tying their self-worth to the amount of positive attention they receive online. They have trouble settling down and being slow and still. They can exude a great deal of nervous energy and sometimes their anxious thoughts keep them up at night. What they feel like they need to accomplish every minute of every day feels dizzying and impossible. Peppermint will help them calm down and connect with their core strength and stillness. They will be especially served by Peppermint’s relaxing nervine qualities. The other type of Peppermint personality is nearly an opposite of the first. Slow and stagnant, they are uninspired. It is as if a heavy fog bank has rolled into their mind and they are unable to find their way out of the seaside soup. Sorrow for their lack of inspiration may have set in and a confusion around who they really are and what they are supposed to do with themselves. They will be best served by Peppermint’s stimulating nervine qualities. 

Both Peppermint personality types will be served by Peppermint’s ability to provide clarity and help them overcome their shared fear of success (even they go about avoiding that fear in different ways). What is really important to you, the mint asks, what is really necessary? Ultimately, Peppermint helps both personalities figure out who they are in the world and what they are called to do.

Contraindications : Avoid large amounts during breastfeeding as mints may dry up the milk supply. Other sources recommend Peppermint for mastitis. Do not use the essential oil during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

Drug interactions : None known.

Dosage : Standard dosage.

I’m off to brew some Peppermint tea with a bit of leftover Ginger (Zingiber officinalis) from some cake that I made the other day (I am easily won over by a sticky Ginger cake, by the way, if you’re ever trying to lure me to a social gathering). Merry winter, friends, or happy summer depending on wherever you are in the world. Wishing you lots of minty magick!

Herbs + Essences for the Haunted

 In some ways, we’re always dealing with ghosts when it comes to healing. We’re haunted by past events, words spoken to us at tender times, promises broken, pleasure denied, the shock of trauma, and the weight of memory. When someone seeks my services as an herbalist and Witch I am not only meeting them in the moment, but I gaze back and forward along their weblines, trying to see what they’ve brought with them and where they might be headed. I get to meet younger and elder you while sitting with the present you.

The shadowlands which we all of us spend time in, meeting with or enthralled by our ghosts, grow all sorts of strange plants that sprout up in our life as grief, anger, shame, despair, loneliness, and more. In other words, the list of recommendations I could have for plant allies that help us to deal with our hauntings could be vast and neverending. That’s not very useful. In fact, the open secret is that if an herb, any herb, is helpful to you on your path of healing, it is an ally to you in facing your ghosts. So, knowing that there are a great many choices out there, I’ve chosen herbs and essences that I’m fond of, that I think are far-reaching in their scope, and because they are the ones that came forward at the time of writing this post.

Image by @frostroomhead

The Herbs

Thorn magick, such as Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) and Rose (Rosa spp.) is a very valuable ally in working with our ghosts. I’ve written more about working with thorn medicine plants here. In short, Rose helps us to deal with our grief instead of running from it and Hawthorn helps us to open our heart again to life.

Mugwort (Artemisia spp.) is our dream ally as so much of what we feel haunted by can be accessed in liminal states. It’s an incredibly powerful herb for integration and in traditional western herbalism it is honored as one of our eldest of herbal allies. Working with herbs like Mugwort, which are considered spiritual elders, to actual ancient plants Gingko (Gingko biloba), and Rose (Rosa spp.) that have been on this planet for millions of years is useful in haunting work. These plants have the ability to travel through our timelines with strength, wisdom, and discernment. Use the essence of Mugwort, too, especially if dealing with nightmares.

Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora) is an herb that I talk about a lot and that’s because it is so useful when it comes to dealing with excessive mental chatter, anxiety, and the inflexibility that can arise from both conditions. When it comes to our personal ghosts, Skullcap helps us to move out of our heads and into our bodies. Some of us try very, very hard to logic our traumas, to make sense of our ghosts, and while sometimes we can build stories that make sense, that’s not always the case and that’s not always necessary. Sometimes it’s just about recognizing, deeply and making space for the emotions that arise, that something hurt and that once we do that we can begin to leave that pain behind. Skullcap is a good ally to work with if you don’t know quite where to begin - you feel like there are ghosts everywhere and they’re all talking. Skullcap can help come in and quiet everyone down.

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) is another liminal spaces herb and one intimately linked with the Good Folk. In my tradition, the Good Folk are some of our eldest ancestors (you’ll see a theme emerging with my recommendations so far - work with the Old Ones). Trauma and the things which we are haunted by can sometimes happen over a slow period of time and sometimes it happens suddenly, shocking the system. There is a lot of lore tied to the Good Folk and shock - they are often accused of being the source of ill but I think they are often the ones who show us that we are already suffering we just hadn’t realized it yet. Another way to understand this pattern of energy is to recognize Yarrow as a plant ally for the wounded warriors and wounded healers among us. They are the ones who facilitate some of the most beautiful and profound healing spaces for others because they carry a great wound themselves. We are at a moment that as a species we are carrying the vast wound of environmental degradation caused by the choices we’ve made and the distance we’ve created between ourselves and the rest of our living planet. I highly recommend Yarrow as an essence and learning more about the Yarrow Environmental Essence that the folks at the Flower Essence Society has created.

Image by @anniespratt

The Essences

The essences listed below are either available as part of the Bach Flower Remedies or the Flower Essence Society collections.

Aspen (Populus tremula) is helpful for those who are afraid of the unknown that lies beyond their current state of being. It can be scary to imagine what our lives would be like without the familiarity of our ghosts, even if we know that we no longer wish to be haunted. Aspen helps us to face our fear and move beyond it.

Bleeding Heart (Dicentra formosa) helps us to let go of our ghost, releasing attachments to the things, places, and beings which are no longer with us.

Crab Apple (Malus sylvestris) helps us come to release feelings of being somehow “contaminated” with our trauma and that makes us impure or unfit for healing and connection with others. 

Evening Primrose (Oenothera elata) is a great ally when we are processing childhood trauma and its impact on us today. Take before and after your therapy and healing sessions.

Honeysuckle (Lonicera caprifolium) helps us to arrive back in the present moment so that we can move on with our lives.

Rock Rose (Helianthemum nummularium) helps us to befriend the cycle of life, death, and rebirth. For those who are afraid of dying or loss of self.

Sage (Salvia officinalis) helps us to get out of own way, accept the fact that we have and should change as we grow, and come to accept ourselves for who we are now.

Self-heal (Prunella vulgaris) for those of us who don’t believe we have the capacity to heal, that our minds and bodies are broken beyond repair. Self-heal reminds us that our healing is possible, assists us in reaching out to others for help, and learning how to trust ourselves again.

Star of Bethlehem (Ornithogalum umbellatum) helps us to deal with the shock of loss. We’re not always able to deal with the initial feelings of loss in our life and have to make time and space for it at a later point. Star of Bethlehem helps us to navigate that meeting with our feelings.

Wild Mustard (Sinapis arvensis) is one of my favorite essences for the type of sorrow that feels like there is no light left in our life. It helps to bring back the sun.

Willow (Salix vitellina) helps us to forgive, release bitterness, and move forward with out lives.

Image by @whale

Working With Herbs + Essences When You’re Haunted

Before you use any herb or essence, do your research by referencing reputable materia medicas (i.e. books full of plant profiles) to determine if a plant is right for you and the correct dosage. In general, googling a plant is not the best way to find accurate information or appropriate use. Please use discretion, practice empowered choosing, and ask your local herbalist for help, too!

There is something about water-based remedies that I find to be particularly powerful when it comes to working with the stuff that haunts you. We live on an ocean planet, we are made up of so much water ourselves, and we are formed and shaped in a watery womb. If you have access to a bath, I highly taking an herbal bath. If you don’t have a full bath to use, you can still do a foot and/or hand bath, as well as making a shower rinse (i.e. make a strong infusion of herbs and water, strain, and wash with as part of your shower). Teas are another simple way to use herbs in ghost work and adding a few drops of an essence into your morning water is great, too.

Once you’ve chosen what plant allies to work with begin by stating your need to the plant. Begin by setting up a space in a sacred manner - it can be as simple as cozying up on your favorite comfy chair, wrapped up in a blanket or more similar to casting a circle. Once you’ve set space for the work to begin, set your intention with your plant ally. You might already know the work you want to do and the haunting you want to clear from your soulshrine (i.e. your body and sacred being). Or you might not, in which case it is helpful to journal, cast cards or spend time in meditation. Take a moment to greet your plant ally, introducing yourself and speaking to them with reverence and kindness. Once you’ve determined what haunted room you want to walk into, state to your plant ally:

{Plant Name}, I wish to release the ghosts of my past. I am haunted by {describe your haunting}. With your aid, {Plant Name}, I seek to release it. Thank you, {Plant Name}, for guiding me in my healing work.

Repeat this simple ritual for the next three, six, or nine days. Pay attention to how the description of your haunting may or may not change during this time. Take time for journaling, casting cards, talking with your friends and family, your dog, your therapist. Sharing the stories of our hauntings can help to shed light where there was once murkiness - and then at some point the story may feel all told out. Invite your ancestors in, especially the really old ones whose names have been forgotten but are no longer afraid of earthly haunts.

Image by @anniespratt

As for how long to take the herbs in haunting work - that depends on the herb and you. In general, using an herb or essence for a cycle of the Moon and reassessing at the end of that cycle can be a good place to start. Does this mean that it only takes a cycle of the Moon to release a haunting? No. Healing work is circuitous, mostly lengthy, and on rarer occasions it feels instantaneous. But when we’ve found the modalities of healing that serve us best, feeling better day by day can become a very familiar feeling. I wish a swift and steady healing for all of you.

May this and all Samhain seasons be ones of reconciliation and healing, of happy reunions and blissful revelations. 

Herbs and Essences for Empaths and Highly Sensitive People

Edit: Inspired by this post and the request of readers, I wrote a whole course for plant allies and highly sensitive people - check it out!

I learned what an empath was when I was about 12 years old and it was a turning point in my young development.

Having a name for what felt like an overwhelming experience of the emotional vibrations of others that felt like something bigger than just hormonal changes led me to learning techniques to protecting my sensitive side. Even though I wasn’t ingesting much herbal medicine at that point I would wear herbs and stones as charms and found that gentle magick to work well for me. I also learned how to ground and center as well as basic shielding and warding which are not only essential skills for empaths and highly sensitive folks but for anyone pursuing magickal studies. These skills made my teen years way more tolerable and shaped me into the herbalist and witch that I am today.

But what is an empath? Or highly sensitive person? While the two terms are not interchangeable they are similar enough in my opinion that my herbal and essence-based recommendations can be applied to both. An empath is a person who has the ability to perceive and experience the feelings of other people and sometimes places. We are all empathic, but some folks empathic ability is heightened to a point that it can become overwhelming or distracting in their life. Because of their skill set many empaths go into the healing and therapeutic arts.

Highly sensitive people (HSPs) experience a heightened sense of their surroundings and may even have a more sensitive nervous system. They are often keyed in to the subtleties of others and their surroundings (including sound, light, texture, and smell) than non-HSPs. Again, everyone is prone to be more sensitive to at least one sense - HSPs are generally more sensitive in all of their senses which, like empaths, can lead to becoming easily overwhelmed. Due to their sensitivity, however, lots of HSPs thrive in the arts and activities that require great amounts of subtlety.

In short, empaths experience a heightened sensitivity to their emotional environment, whereas HSPs experience a generalized heightened sensitivity. Of course, some folks are both Empaths and HSPs while other folks are one or the other.

When it comes to herbs and essences my recommendation for Empaths and Highly Sensitive People is as follows: 

Make friends with a nervine.

Connect with an adaptogen.

Create your custom rescue remedy.

These three remedies combined with a grounding, centering, and shielding practice can be beautifully effective in protecting your energetic senses and supporting your physical form. A bit of thorn magick helps, too. I’ll also talk about additional ways of supporting your Empathic or HSP self that I have found useful for myself and my community over the years. I’ve listed some of my favorite herbal allies for Empaths and HSPs below but as always, I I recommend doing your research or working with an herbalist to find the ones best suited for your constitution.

Make Friends with a Nervine

Nervines are herbs that are nourishing and restorative to the nervous system. There are two main types of nervines: relaxing and stimulating. We’ll be focusing on the relaxing nervines for our needs as Empaths and HSPs are often overstimulated when they’re feeling out of balance. Nervines help the body to return to a state of rest and relaxation and many of them are great tonic herbs meaning that they can be taken daily for a long time. I’ve listed a number of my favorite herbs for Empaths and HSPs below, highlighting three that I’m particularly fond of.

Milky Oat (Avena sativa) : I was just talking about Milky Oat in my most recent newsletter. It’s known as a tophorestorative to the nervous system meaning that it brings the nervous system back into balance. Milky Oat is a great nutritive herb that can be taken on a daily basis. I love it for Empaths and HSPs because it feels gentle in the body but has a powerful and long-lasting effect. Read my full plant profile on Milky Oat.

Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora) : Skullcap is great for symptoms of anxiety, especially when there are hurried and worried thoughts, that can accompany heightened sensitivity. I’ve written about Skullcap a number of times including as an ingredient one of my favorite self-care teas that I highly recommend for Empaths and HSPs. Read my full Skullcap plant profile.

Rose (Rosa damascena) : Beautiful, amazing, unfolding Rose! Rose has gentle nervine qualities with the extra magick of thorn medicine. Rose is an ancient herbal ancestor and they’ve been a guide of healing wisdom through the ages - who better to turn to when life feels too big and overwhelming than to one who has seen it all and thrived? 

Additional nervine options:

• Gotu Kola (Centella asiatica)

• Blue Vervain (Verbena officinalis)

• Chamomile (Matricaria recutita)

• Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata)

• Lavender (Lavandula spp.)

• Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)

• St. Joan’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum)

Connect with an Adaptogen

Adaptogens are herbs that help us to adapt to stress. They are not meant to be a replacement to good stress management and therapeutic support, but they are excellent at supporting are ability to shift perspective and reconnect to a place of centeredness within ourselves. Many adaptogens can be stimulating because part of learning how to adapt to stress is having all of our organ systems working well and adaptogenic herbs can help to wake up sluggish systems. Too much stimulation from an herb, however, can be detrimental to Empaths and HSPs, but not always. Again, get to know yourself and your constitution when choosing herbs. I’ve listed adaptogens that are less stimulating in their energy as compared to some adaptogens, but still bring in that much needed ability to restore the body to balance after a period of stress.

Eleuthero (Eleutherococcus senticosus) : I really like Eleuthero because of it’s gentle nature (you might be sensing a theme here with the emphasis on gentleness as an important form of remedy for Empaths and HSPs). It can be used with young and old for an extended period of time without overstimulation. Eleuthero strengthens our energy and inner vitality which in turn supports the resiliency of Empaths and HSPs. If you’ve found other adaptogens to be too stimulating, you might find yourself enjoying Eleuthero.

Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) : Empaths and HSPs could learn a lot from the vibratory interconnectedness of the mushroom kingdom. Like other adaptogens, Reishi supports vitality and longevity with especial attention paid to the immune system. Reishi can help Empaths and HSPs transition from feeling overwhelmed by their heightened perceptions to being grounded in their gifts of interconnectedness.

Additional adaptogen options:

• Sacred Basil (Ocimum sanctum)

• Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera)

• Schisandra (Schisandra chinensis)

• Rhodiola (Rhodiola rosea)

Create your Custom Rescue Remedy

Here’s where the essence part of my recommendations come in. Many of you are probably familiar with Dr. Edward Bach’s Rescue Remedy. It’s a staple in many a holistic apothecary and for good reason - it’s effective, non-invasive, and can be used for everyone. If you don’t have time to put together your own personal rescue remedy based on my recommendations below, just go ahead and get your own bottle of Dr. Bach’s Rescue Remedy - it’ll serve you well.

The idea of a custom rescue remedy is to create an essence blend that meets your unique needs and the type of stress response you find yourself going through again and again. I’ve given recommendations for essences from the Bach and Flower Essence Society companies because they are easy to find in wellness stores and online. I’ve also recommended a handful of gem essences which you can either make yourself or find online. You can choose a 2 - 4 essences from the list below (or any that you come across in your studies) and combine a few drops of each into a one-ounce dosage bottle that you can then take 1 - 3 drops from as needed or three times daily as a tonic. Trust your intuition - your extra sensitivity is meant to help and guide you - and create a blend that will help you integrate useful information and leave out the rest.

Yarrow Environmental Essence : This is actually a blend of essences that I highly recommend for HSPs. In fact, if you were to take one essence long term, this is the one that I recommend. Yarrow Environmental Essence helps HSPs to deal with their increased sensitivity while also protecting against the impact of overstimulating and polluted environments. It’s an essence blend that I take regularly but one that I make sure to have with me any time that I travel as it’s an excellent adventuring companion.

Black Tourmaline Gemstone + Essence : A wonderfully protective and grounding essence for those Empaths and HSPs struggling to feel safe and centered in the world. I recommend keeping a piece of the stone near your work or study space as well as wearing it on your person in addition to using it as a gem essence.

Red Chestnut Flower Essence : Red Chestnut is especially useful for Empaths who get caught up in the emotions of others, trying to take on other’s problems, and become the ultimate harmonizer of all situations everywhere. The essence helps remind Empaths that these are not their feelings and they are not responsible for them. The essence teaches appropriate boundary-making.

Additional flower and gem essence options:

• Rose (Rosa damascena) Flower Essence

• Beech (Fagus Sylvatica) Flower Essence

• Aspen (Populus tremuloides) Flower Essence

• Dill (Anethum graveolens) Flower Essence

• Campion (Silene californica) Flower Essence

• Smoky Quartz Gem Essence

• Rose Quartz Gem Essence

• Kyanite Gem Essence

• Garnet Gem Essence

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Looking for plant allies for social gatherings? Come this way.

It's my hope for you that after reading this post you feel like you have a few new tools to use on your journey as an Empath and/or Highly Sensitive Person through this world. We need your gentleness and attention to subtlety to help keep us paying attention to the heartlines of the world.

P.S. Interested in learning more about your unique gifts and sensitivities as a healer? I've created a space to help you discover just that.